Top Stories

Cherundolo nearing automatic contract extension with Hannover

USMNTHCS20110810428

Photo by Howard C. Smith/ISIphotos.com

U.S. starting right back Steve Cherundolo is nearing a special milestone this season that will guarantee his place for another year at the only club he has called home during his standout professional career.

According to reports out of Germany, Cherundolo will have his contract automatically extended for another season upon his next appearance of 45 minutes or more. Cherundolo, whose current contract lasts through the end of this season, has the extension incentive that automatically kicks in once he hits 20 appearances of at least 45 minutes this season.

Cherundolo, who just turned 33 on Sunday and has been at Hannover since 1999, would have crossed the 20-match barrier this weekend, but he missed Hannover's match against Stuttgart with a calf injury. The club's captain will have a chance to seal his extension on Thursday in Hannover's Europa League match against Club Brugge. If he is unable to go, the following match would be Sunday at first-place Borussia Dortmund.

What do you think of this development?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Can’t argue with that. I’d say he was the best player in the World Cup after Dempsey and Donovan, and the best player in the Gold Cup.

    Reply
  2. Criminally underrated. I could go with that. Based on him playing for a German team since 1999 and playing most of his years in the Bundesliga, dare I say? – He is the bet American player of all time? No, a defender can’t be the best player of all time, surely not. He has to be in the top 5 of all time.

    Good Job Steve, keep it up!

    Reply
  3. “Declining foot speed is definitely a problem for a flank-type back and he was getting run by in some of the European friendlies…”.

    “foot speed” is only one part of what it takes to be a great player. Dolo was never about speed per se. It was always about intelligence, positioning, reading of the game with him. If he was “getting run by “in those friendlies, you can be sure that has to do with a lot more than just foot speed.

    Jonathan Bornstein, Robbie Findley, and EJ were and probably remain, among the faster players at any position in the USMNT pool.

    Yet that has not been enough to make them the kind of outstanding player that Dolo is.

    “I’m concerned that we will be faced with a potential Reyna/Lewis situation if we persevere two more years to the Cup with a player in such obvious decline,”

    The primary concern with Dolo is does he want to continue on to 2014 and can he maintain his health and form? None of us knows the answer to that. Notwithstanding his latest calf injury, he recently won back his starter role after losing it at the beginning of the season. And he lost that because he did not train properly in the off season due to his Gold Cup final injury.

    “we should be pursuing with all deliberate speed rounding up both left and right backs….”

    What makes you think the USMNT is not doing that?

    Reply
  4. What does Cherundolo do after his playing days are over?
    He seems like a smart dude, and has been both an international and team captain… does he go into coaching, or perhaps become Germany’s Earnie Stewart?

    Reply
  5. Except there is also this thing called positioning which Dolo has the intellegence to know how to position himself on the flanks. I am not saying he is a lock for 2014, but what I am saying is that right now he is still the USMNT best RB. Considering Nurnberg is using Chandler as a RWinger now not a RB.

    Reply
  6. We were not faced with a “Renya/Lewis situation”. We were faced with an Bruce Arena situation, where he – unlike 2002 – did not want to rely on younger players.

    Reply
  7. He’s number one. I think he’s in the top five Nat field players of all time. He is criminally under rated by most US fans – or at least he was until the last couple years.

    Reply
  8. Declining foot speed is definitely a problem for a flank-type back and he was getting run by in some of the European friendlies. Speed affects not merely your ability to barnstorm forward but your ability to stay with your man going back. So I am disinclined to give it a pass or even to accept less offense to ostensibly get more defense, particularly when Chandler could provide both qualities.

    I’m concerned that we will be faced with a potential Reyna/Lewis situation if we persevere two more years to the Cup with a player in such obvious decline, where we qualify only to have the older players exposed that we chanced the tournament with. While there is time I think we should be pursuing with all deliberate speed rounding up both left and right backs….and Chandler only fills one hole….pick which.

    Reply
  9. I happen to think Pope had the ability to really make an impact in Europe, but in any case, I think you have to say that as far as the most accomplished US defender it would be a tie between Dolo and Boca. I’d give the edge to Dolo just because of his stability. It’s very rare for a European club to be so committed to a player, let alone an American player. However, if he wasn’t American, you have to wonder if someone would have tried to poach Dolo years ago.= given how steady he’s been.

    Reply
  10. I love Dolo. Hope he keeps going strong and stays injury free.

    He’s easily our best right back of all time. Where do you guys think he ranks in the top USMNT defenders of all time? I’d probably say top 3 with Dooley and Eddie Pope. Past that I would have Balboa, Alexi Lalas, Boca and Gooch

    Reply
  11. Thats awesome. He is definitley slowing down, so he is more of a RB instead of a RWB, but that’s not a problem because Klinsmann likes wingers on the side that favors their dominant foot. He is still a very good defender; we just won’t see him making barnstorming runs out of the back as often.

    Reply
  12. The guy’s amazing. I hope he goes into coaching at Hannover when his playing career is over. He’s an American with enough cred at a top level European club to break some barriers in that regard, I think.

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Award Cancel reply